Part IV—The Lost

Note:  During my 32 years as a preacher, several times I did a series of sermons on “What I believe about….”    Every time I did it, people responded positively.  They appreciated the simple statements about what I believed about certain issues.   This series of blogs continue that same concern.

The Bible tells us what is important.  Paul says that what is of first importance is the cross.   The crucifixion includes the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:3-5).   Christianity is a cross-shaped faith.   Our faith radiates out from that cross.  Jesus died on a cross to save us from our sins.

His sacrifice for us implies at least three crucial things:

• Being lost in our sins is not a good place to be. Our failures crush us.  Our mistakes haunt us.  Our errors destroy us.  Being lost puts us at odds with God.  We must find a way out of our dilemma.  Jesus died on the cross because of our sins.
• We can’t find a way out ourselves. We can edit the errors in a document.   We can refile our tax returns if we added wrong.  Some mistakes we can self-correct, but repairing the damage that our sin does to our relationship with God is beyond our control.   Being good cannot cancel being bad.  Jesus died on the cross to fix what we could not fix.
• We can’t keep the cross for ourselves. What happened at the cross must be shared with all who remain lost.  The Good News demands publication far and wide.  Those who were lost but are now saved must share what they found.

Every lost person reminds me of the cross.   Every cross I see reminds me of how lost I was.   Thank God for the cross.

That’s what I believe.